The invention relates to the technical sector of automatic machines for filling glass vials with liquid solutions, and for sealing them. The vials are of a type in which the successive opening is achieved by breaking a predetermined upper portion thereof.
The liquid solutions can be of various types, for example food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or other types besides.
Empty vials are available in two configurations, respectively with the upper head open or closed.
In machines which use open vials, upstream of the filling station there must be a sterilization station in which the inside of the vials is made hygienic such as to be ready to receive the liquid product.
In machines which use pre-sterilized closed vials, upstream of the filling station an opening station has to be provided in which the top is opened to enable the liquid product to be inserted; the opening of pre-sterilized vials is obtained by melting the tops by means of flame means.
The sealing of the vials, after filling, follows the action of the heat, provided by suitable flame means, in combination with gripping means of the top of the vial and with a rotation of the vials themselves. This stage is performed identically for both types of vials indicated above.
Normally vials are constructed by specialized producers and supplied to the above-cited industries. By using open vials, the whole process, from hygienic treatment to sealing, is under the direct control of the producer of the final product, while with pre-sterilized closed vials the certification given by the producer of empty vials has to be accepted in order to provide certification on the finished product.
To prevent contamination by polluting agents of the products and the vials, before closing them it is obvious that the machines too have to be provided with all the constructional particulars for attaining the desired results and that the atmosphere in which the machines are located has to be appropriately controlled.
To this end, in a widely-used solution the operating organs of the machine, i.e. those which ac on the vial to perform the various operations, are closed within a clamber that is separated from the external environment.
In this chamber, a forced air circulation is set up, from high to low, and is then collected, channeled and returned upwards; the air is then forced to cross suitable filters, located superiorly, which purify the air before directing it newly downwards.
The constant flow of purified air in a downwards direction has the function of confining any polluting particles in the lower part of the machine below the level at which the filling and sealing machines are located, such as to prevent their entering the vial.
In order for the air flow to effectively perform the described function, it must be laminar; this is more or less perturbed by striking against obstacles which due to their shape and/or position generate turbulence in the air flow, i.e. vortices which render the trajectory of any suspended polluting particles uncertain.
Many machines of known type have what is known as a bench conformation, in which all the movement organs (motors. transmissions) and the other secondary components (all the “grey zone”) are contained in a sort of box at the base of the machine, while the conveyor line of the vials and the operating organs are located superiorly thereof, connected to the lower movement organs by special transmission means housed in columns, arms and the like.
A machine structure such as the one described above is unsuitable for guaranteeing a non-perturbed laminar flow, due to the fact that the upper horizontal wall of the box (or bench), being perpendicular to the air flow, halts the flow brusquely and thus creates a strong turbulent motion which rises up to the height of the vial filling and closing stations.